Mozley: A Treatise on the Augustinian Doctrine of

Conclusion. CHAP. XT.
the same mistakes ; that they must one day see the limits
of human reason, distinguish what they know from what
they do not know, and draw the necessary conclusion, that
on some questions they cannot insist on any one absolute
truth, and condemn each other accordingly. But the vision
does not approach at present any very clear fulfilment.
The limits of human reason are perhaps better understood
in the world now than they ever were before ; and such a
knowledge has evidently an effect upon controversy, to a
certain extent modifying and chastening it. Those who
remind men of their ignorance use an argument which,
however it may fall short of striking with its full philoso
phical strength, and producing its due effect, appeals to an
undeniable truth, before which all human souls must bow.
And the most ardent minds, in the very heat of contro
versy, have an indistinct suspicion that a strong ground
has been established in this quarter. On the other hand,
this knowledge of the limits of human reason is not, and
perhaps never will be, for reasons which I have given, very
acute or accurate in the minds of the mass ; while the
tendency to one-sided views and to hasty assumption is
strong, and is aided by passion and self-love, as well as by
better feeling misapplied. On the whole, therefore, while
improved philosophy has perhaps entirely destroyed some
great false assumptions which have reigned in the world,
so that these will never rise up again, it cannot subdue the
temper and spirit which make such assumptions. It is
able occasionally to check and qualify, but it cannot be
expected that it will ever habitually regulate, theological
thought and controversy. It will from time to time step
in as a monitor, and take advantage of a pause and quiet
interval to impress its lesson upon mankind, to bring them
back to reflection when they have been carried too far, and
convert for the time a sense of error into a more cautious
view of truth but it will never ;
perhaps do more than this.
Unable to balance and settle, it will give a useful oscillation
to the human mind, an alternation of enthusiasm and judg
ment, of excitement and repose.
In the meantime it only remains that those who differ